Chapter 17 - Roman
The blackout curtains mostly do their job of blocking out all light from entering the bedroom, but based on the very subtle, mostly dim glow around the borders of it, I can already tell it’s too early.
I don’t know what pulled me from my sleep, but my suspicions are confirmed as I glance at the clock on my side table.
It’s not my usual wake-up time, but while I lay there in bed with the silk sheets splayed across me, I feel wide awake.
Glancing over, I find Victoria to my right as she sleeps soundly. But for once, she isn’t facing away from me.
Instead, I can see the peaceful veil over her features while her eyes are closed and her lips are just barely parted. Her hair fans out behind her, draping a front section over her cheek.
She looks as beautiful as always, yet there’s something more to it. In moments like these, when she’s not scowling or fighting me, it makes my heart feel lighter rather than being twisted into knots.
Unable to pull my eyes away yet, I watch silently while she sleeps, admiring her far longer than she allows me when she’s awake.
All the while, something stirs within me, but I’m not ready to place a name to that feeling yet.
Instead, I notice as she absently pulls the covers higher, seemingly shielding herself even in sleep.
That somewhat breaks my silent stupor, and I let go of a quiet breath.
Mustering the energy to get up, I pull myself out of bed and go through the motions, feeling the cold from the stone floor more than usual.
But before long, I’m in the shower, surrounded by heat and a heavy steam cloud, while I take in how the water pelts against my skin.
We’ve been married for over two months, and while she was only ever meant to be leveraged over who I thought was her brother, things are far from that simple.
She was meant to be something of a pawn in this game I’ve been playing with Maxim for far too long, but now, she’s something completely different. The longer she’s with me, the easier it is to forget where it all started, and just how far I’ve let myself take the situation.
Despite how her resistance feels like a constant flux and flow, I’ve been trying my hardest to stay patient, to grant her grace wherever I can, given what I’ve done to her.
But some days, it feels harder to accomplish. And on the worst days, I find myself questioning how I’ll possibly reach a place of mutual understanding with Victoria.
After we dove into our attraction and had sex, her refusal to cooperate has doubled. She often refuses my touch, and I can’t even begin to describe how that eats away at me.
Pulling a black button-up on, I do it up and adjust the cuffs while silently moving around the bedroom. After clicking my watch into place, I glance over at Victoria while she sleeps. It makes me pause.
I don’t know what it is, but seeing her looking so peaceful, I can’t help myself.
The need to be near and to feel any kind of warmth from her claws at me, and while I’ve been trying hard to ignore it, it’s impossible at this point.
Drifting closer, I cross the room and approach the bed until I’m hovering over her. I lean in, placing a gentle hand against her shoulder.
I move slowly, watching as her eyes carefully open. At the recognition, she tenses and moves slightly.
Not pushing for her lips, able to see she isn’t ready for that, I press a light kiss against her cheek. Her skin is soft and cool from the air conditioning, and I linger for a moment.
She flinches subtly, and while it isn’t a jarring reaction, it’s enough to stir some irritation in me.
Something nestled in my chest just wants her to reciprocate. At the very least, I want to accept my affection without looking afraid for her life.
“I’m heading to work,” I murmur while straightening. My jaw tightens as I push down the lingering feeling of rejection in my heart. “It’s still early.”
Victoria nods faintly but doesn’t say a word. Her eyes are on me, but she’s not fully looking. As if she’s distracted.
Cold once more…but I shouldn’t be surprised.
Before I can stew in the frustration of it all or say something I might regret, I walk out of the bedroom.
Given how uncertain our situation is and how volatile her emotions are, I need to tread lightly.
As much as I don’t want to walk on eggshells around my wife forever, I can’t risk scaring her off completely.
She has given herself to me before, and with time, I hope it doesn’t become a once-off thing—in all ways.
***
The warehouse is busy with movement as supplies are moved in and out, and everyone keeps their head down, doing what’s expected of them.
Standing in my office, I stare out the window with my hands in my pockets, watching as another flatbed rolls in, prepared to haul some of our product away. The men waiting by the bay doors motion the driver in, following a usual routine.
Everything about the business feels synchronistic. There’s a rhythm to each operation, and fortunately, it all tends to run smoothly.
It would be nice if my personal life operated in the same way.
“All of today’s shipments are ready to go…everything looks good,” Mikhail says as he approaches from behind, eventually stepping in beside me.
Glancing at him, stirred from my thoughts, I nod. “Good. I want eyes on the trucks as they head out.”
“Our teams are already on it. They’re either already on the road or waiting on standby.”
Nodding again, sitting in that quiet satisfaction, I find myself without much else to say.
It isn’t like me…Normally, I have more demanding questions or some new order to give. But as of late, I’ve been more contemplative. Stuck on my thoughts of Victoria even when she’s not with me.
“Have you put any more thought into your wife being a Nikolaev?” He asks, tone giving away his suspicions.
With a questioning furrow of my brows, I keep my attention on Mikhail. “I thought we were under the assumption the intel was wrong…she can’t be Viktoria.”
He sighs, seemingly doubting that notion. “Perhaps it was the temporary conclusion we came to, but I still don’t know for certain.”
“What has snagged your suspicion then?”
“At the restaurant the other week, I know Victoria said she doesn’t have any siblings, but is there any chance that could be false?”
I don’t entirely like what he’s implying. “Are you saying she’s lying?”
“No…not necessarily,” Mikhail mends without hesitation before sighing. “I’m wondering if she’s just unaware. If she believes she isn’t Viktoria Nikolaev because she doesn’t know any better.”
Eyeing him uncertainly, I try to gauge how much grace I should offer the speculation. “You think it’s possible?”
“She was in the foster care system and was adopted by a family along the way, right? I don’t see why her identity couldn’t have been buried at some point. You have to admit, it’s a strange coincidence…not to mention, our intel lines up exactly with hers.”
As much as I don’t want to let my mind wander into speculative territory too much, I can’t completely discredit what he’s saying.
I absently rub at my chin. “…do you think Maxim knows about her then, if she really is his sister?”
Mikhail shrugs. “Who’s to say? He might know, he might not, but either way, we won’t be able to find out if you keep her hidden forever.”
His words sink in, and I find myself lingering on them.
He certainly has a point.
I tried to lay to rest those thoughts surrounding Victoria and her identity, but with it back in the forefront of my mind, I know that something isn’t right.
It still doesn’t add up.
My phone ringing in my pocket breaks the spell of our conversation, and before we can continue, I grab it. Finding Nikolai’s name across the screen, I accept the call and bring the phone to my ear.
“What is it?”
Nikolai, who is normally calm and collected, sounds vaguely out of breath on the other end. “One of our convoys was intercepted…the one heading north-east.”
Pausing, I pull the phone back before putting him on speaker. My brows knit together.
“What happened? How bad was it?”
He takes a breath, the continues, “They derailed the truck and caused a shoot-out. As far as we can tell, they got away with very little and lost a few on their side, but now we’re working to get everything up and running before we pull too much attention.”
Anger flares beneath my skin, and at once, that knowing feeling settles in my gut. I have to force myself not to crush the cell phone in my grasp. “…who did it?”
“They looked like Nikolaev men…”
Seeing red immediately, I clench my jaw and scrub a hand over my mouth. “That bastard…is this retaliation? Does he know about Victoria?”
Mikhail, focused on the conversation, has that usual look of deep thought in his eyes, quietly scrutinizing the situation. He seems to be wondering the same thing.
“It’s possible…but either way, we have to get this thing out of the public eye.”
Despite the rage moving through me, I pull in a breath and nod to myself, trying to focus more on the next steps, rather than those volatile emotions.
“Yes…go with them and make sure nobody inspects the load too closely…we need to up the security detail on the other shipments going out today,” I murmur, trying to think with the clearest mind I can manage. “Get everyone out of there. If you come across more of Maxim’s men, don’t hesitate.”
“Got it…I’ll let you know when we arrive.”
My patience is barely hanging on by a thread, but I force myself to hold it in. “Stay safe.”
Exchanging our goodbyes, I end the call and grip the phone a bit tighter, pressing my hand to my mouth in an attempt to hold my most instinctive reactions in.
“Fucking Nikolaev…”
“We need to know if this is his usual escalation or if he’s retaliating for Victoria,” Mikhail says, treading lightly given my current state. “Maybe this is our chance to find out.”
Despite bracing myself and trying my hardest to restrain my anger, I still hear what he’s saying, and I let that surround me for a moment.
He’s right. If Maxim knows about Victoria and is hitting back as revenge, then it’ll only worsen. He’ll keep pushing until he gets her back. Either way, I need to know what to expect, and I need to use it to my advantage.
Forcing out a heavy breath, I meet his gaze while the gears turn in my head.
“Regardless of his awareness, or if Victoria is truly his sister, I need to make the marriage public,” I begin, mulling it over.
“That way, he’ll either confirm or deny their relation, and I’ll know if this is still an angle I can exploit.
If not, then I’ll need to find another way to get the message across.
He’s being too brave, and he needs a reminder. ”
Mikhail considers this, and then he nods. “I suppose that’s a good first step…how do you want to go public?”
Looking out the window, I try to remember everything we have coming up…events, meetings, anything…then it hits me.
“Elena’s been organizing that charity gala for the children’s hospital…
every significant player will be there, and knowing how fast word travels, Maxim will likely hear about it before the night is up,” I say, creating the plan as it hits me on the spot.
“I’ll walk her in on my arm, and everyone will know.
He’ll know...then I’ll get my confirmation one way or another. ”
“And if Maxim acknowledges her as his sister?”
“Then it will be back to the original plan…I’ll leverage it against him.”
While the declaration comes out easily, something stirs inside me.
It was my drive all along in kidnapping Victoria and forcing her to marry me, but I’m well aware that things are different now.
Before, it was supposed to be to the point. It was only a strategy.
Now, I’m emotionally entangled with her to some degree, and using her as something to hold over Maxim’s head doesn’t feel quite so simple.
She would hate me for it…and it could potentially risk the barely-existent trust she has for me.
Still, I can hear those old voices in my head, reminding me to be cautious against letting those emotions interfere…of letting it stop me from fully cementing my dominance over Nikolaev and everyone else in Las Vegas.
This is the game, and while I don’t take pleasure in involving Victoria in the slightest now, I can’t hesitate.
If Maxim really is her brother, then I’ve taken something precious of his and made her untouchable.
I can’t expect anything short of war.
Even if she hates me for it, I have to make my move.